Electric controller.



No. 757,898. I PATENTED APR. 19, 1904. A. (L'EASTWOOD. ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1904.

N0 MODEL, 4 SHHETSSHEET 1.

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PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

A. o. EASTWOOD. ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1904.

4 SHEETS-$3131.31 2.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

A. C. EASTWOOD.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

uruouxon FILED JAN. 30. 1904.

4 SHEETS-BRIE! 3.

NO MODEL.

m: mums Pawns co. wo-rduwo wnsumnwu o r No. 757,898. PATENTED APR. 1 1904. A. 0, EASTWOOD.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1904.

H0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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UNITED STATES Patented Apri1'19, 1904.

f PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 757,898 dated April 19, 1904.

" Application filed Jan ry 30, 1904i Serial H0. 191,368. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, ARTHUR C. EASTWOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing in' Cleveland, Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Electric Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consistsin an improved combination of parts forming an electric controller particularly designed to regulate the quantity of current flowing in an electric circuit and having for one object the provision of an improved controlling device which shall contain within itself the resistance designed to be introd uced into the circuit in 'which said controller is connected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a current regulating controller which shall be relatively simple and inexpensive in construction for a given capacity.

These objects I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference .being'had to theaccompanying drawings, in which. r

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved controller. tion taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. t is a sectional elevation of the cylinder of my improved controller, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connection of the various parts of my controller and the connections betweensaid controller and an electric motor. I

My improved form of controller, hereinafter described, has been devised especially for use in connection with an improved form of rheostat-section described and claimed by me in an application for United States Patent, bearing Serial No. 186,141, filed December 21, 1903, and although I have described my improved structure as employing said sections it will be understood that it is possible to secure many of its valuable features with some other form of resistance-sections.

In the above drawings, A represents the.

framework of the controller, this consisting of a back plate a and two end plates a and a, the whole being preferably made as a single casting. Lugs o are provided by which the structure may be attached to any desired sup- Fig. 2 is a sectional end eleva-' port, and a yoke-piece a isalso formed integral with the end a of the frame, and this, as well as the end a,is-provided with a bearing for a spindle or shaft B, upon which is carried the contact-cylinder D and a series of contact-plates 0 c to 0 Upon the end of said spindle atthe pointwhere it projects beyond the yoke afis keyed a double-grooved pulleywheel E for the reception of ropes or cables 6 and 0', whereby the spindle and its attached parts may be rotated. In order to bring the cylinder D and its connected parts back to a fixed or ofif position after the pulley E has been turned, I provide two collars b and b, pinned to said spindle upon that portion of it which extends between the portion a of the frame and the outer end of the yoke a These collars have projecting arms, as shown, with their ends bent to engage a spring 6 mounted upon the spindle, and it is to be noted that the endsofsaid springextend beyond the bent ends of the collars, so as to also engage the sides of the yoke o An initial tension is given the spring, so that both of its ends normally press upon the sides of the said yoke, and the collars b and Z) are so placed that theprojecting part of one of them will engage one end of the spring whenever the spindle ismoved from its normal, position.

Such engagement will tend to wind up or increase the tension of the spring,.so. that as soon as the turning force exerted on the spindle is removed the latter is at once automaticallyzmov'ed to said normal position.

The cylinder D is of metal, preferably iron, and its upper end is fixed to and carried by a block d of wood, fiber, or other non-conductor of electricity, while its lowerend is similarly carried by the upper end of ablock C, also of non-conducting material, suitably fixed to the shaft. Said cylinder has fixed to its outside surface two series of metallic contact-buttons d and (Z these being arranged, respectively, in two series extending in opposite directions upon said cylinder, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. These contact buttons have extensions which pass through and are riveted to the inside surface of the metallic cylinder D, so as to be in electrical connection therewith, there being, however, between each contact-button and the outside surface of the cylinder a circular washer d of insulating material, such as asbestos, for the purpose of preventing an are being drawn from the contact-button to the cylinder.

It will be seen that the metallic plates 0 c to 0 are arranged upon the block C in two series of three each, being in the present instance bent in a circular arc of an angular length less than one hundred and eighty degrees. Certain of these plates are electrically connected, as indicated in the diagrammatic view shown in Fig. 5.

Extending between the two end plates (0 and c of the controller-frame are a pair of rods or bolts F, these being in the present instance supported entirely by the plate (62 by means of nuts f and having a covering or inelosing sleevef' of insulating material. Upon said bolts are placed any desired number of resistance-sections G, preferably of the construction described and claimed in my abovementioned application for patent. As shown in Fig. 2, these resistance-sections consist of flat plates ofcast-iron having bosses g, in which are openings for the passage of the bolts F. Said plates support windings of an electrical conductor 71 one end of which is electrically connected to the metallic body of the grid, while the other is connected to the winding upon the grid next'adjacent to it. Insulatingwashers f are placed between the bosses of the respective grids. I have not shown this feature of the device in detail, since it is fully illustrated and described in my application for patent heretofore referred to.

Each of the plates of the resistance-sections has fixed to and electrlcally connected with it a spring contact-finger g, provided with a contact at its outer end and having an adjusting-screw g, whereby said end may be made to approach or move farther from the cylinder 1). It will be seen that there are contact-fingers only on alternate ones of the resistance sections, and said fingers are so placed that each is in the plane of two of the contact-buttons upon the cylinder D. It will be understood that the metal of the grids for the resistance-sections is electrically insulated from the bolts F by means of the sleeves or tubes f, of insulating material, placed upon said bolts, while, as above noted, the cylinder D is insulated by its su pporting-blocks (Z and C.

Opposite the three pairs of contact-plates 0 c, 0' c, c c are three contact-fingers g" g g,

carried upon metallic grids or pieces as shown in Fig. 8, which are supported on the bolts F in the same manner as are the resistance-sections G.

Between each of the grids are two sets of insulating-washersf, while in addition shields g, of insulating material, are carried by one of the bolts F and extend betweeneach pair of said washers, so as to prevent the formation of an are between the lingers 1 and Said shields project beyond the ends of said fingers and are properly spaced at their outer ends by means of a stud covered with insulating-bushings.

The electrical connections of the various parts of my improved controller are indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 5, in which the metallic cylinder D is shown as developed, as are also the curved plates 0 c to In using my controller with an electric motor whose armature is indicated at H and its field at H, I connect one terminal of said lield to one of the supply-mains indicated at J and the other end thereof to the contact-finger 7 of the controller. The terminals of the armature H are connected, respectively, to the contact-fingers g and while the second supply-main J is in turn connected to the contact-finger nearest to the linger g".

In addition to the above connections the two metallic plates 0 and 0 are electrically connected to each other, as are also the contactplates 0 and 0", the contact-plates c and c" being connected to each other and to the metal cylinder D.

When the controller-spindle B is turned, as by revolution of the pulley E, a contact-button d is brought into engagement with the first spring contact-finger f] -tl\ll3 is to say, with the contact-finger adjacent to the plate a of the frame; Simultaneously with this connection the three contact-lingers g", and g are brought into engagement with the metallic plates 0, c, and c, with the result that the current entering the first of the resistance-sections is compelled to pass through the windings upon all of said sections until it reaches the contact-finger at the other end of the same. From here it passes to the contact-button cl, with which said finger is engaged, through the metallic cylinder 1). and through the connection indicated in Fig. 5 to the curved plate 0. Since the contact-finger g" is in engagement with this plate, the current will flow to the armature H of the motor and from there back to the contact-linger which, bearing upon the plate 0, permits the current to flow to the third contact-plate and thence to the contact-linger From here the current flows to the field H of the motor and hence to the second supply-main J. As

the metallic cylinder and its parts are still furi ther rotated by the turning of the pulley E the other fingers of the series (1 are made to suecessively contact with the various lingers g, with the result that the different resistance-see tions G are successively cut out, until finally, when the contact-button (2, adjacent to the plate 0, engages corresponding contact-finger g there is no resistance in circuit with the motor, which consequently receives current directly from the supply-mains. If now the force tending to revolve the cylinder is removed, the spring 6, acting through collar 6,

causes the spindle B to be revolved automatically, so that the cylinder D and its connected parts are returned to the normal or ofi position, at which point it is stopped with none of the fingers g in engagement with the contacts. Since when the various parts are in this position both ends of the spring Z2 rest upon the yoke a, it will be noted that the device is positively held from operation until a turning force is again applied to the spindle. If now the pulleyis turned so that the cylinder is revolved in an opposite direction from that above indicated, the above cycle of operations will be repeated, except that the current flowing from the metallic cylinder will pass to the contact-plate 0 instead of to the plate 0, and hence will flow into the armature from the contact-finger g instead of from the contact-finger g. The direction of the flow of the current through the field will, however, remain unchanged, so that, as is well known, the direction of the rotation of the motor will be reversed.

From the above it will be understood that for a given capacity my improved controller may be made to occupy but relatively very little space, since the resistance is so supported that while opportunity is given for the radiation of heat it takes up but very little room, and on account of the extreme simplicity of the parts it will be noted that the labor required in constructing the device is materially less than what has hitherto been required in constructing and assembling controllers of the same capacity. It will further be noted that the various parts of the device are inexpensive, both as to their cost of manufacture and the material employed.

While I have illustrated a pulley-wheel and ropes for operating the controller, it will beunderstood by those skilled in the art that this may be replaced by any desired form of gearing or bythe well-known crank-handle without in any way affecting the scope of my invention. I 5 I I claim as my invention 1. In an electric controller the combination,

of bodies of resistance, contact-fingers connected thereto, a metallic cylinder having contact-buttons in electrical connectiontherewith and placed to be engaged by the fingers, a spindle for supporting the cylinder, metallic pieces also carried by but insulated from the spindle, and other contact-fingers for engagement with said pieces, substantially as described.

2. In an electric controller, the combination of bodies of resistance, contact-fingers con' nected thereto, a metallic cylinder having contact-buttons in electrical connection therewith and placed to be engaged by the fingers, "a spindle for supporting the cylinder, metallic pieces also fixed to but insulated from the spindle, and other contact-fingers for engagement with said pieces, certain of the pieces being electrically connected to the metallic cylinder, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a supporting-spindle, a metallic cylinder together with two series of metallic pieces carried by said spindle,

one piece of each series being connected to said cylinder, contact-buttons on the cylinder, with a series of contact-fingers for engaging said contact-buttons and thesaid series of metallic pieces, substantially as described.

4-. The combination of a supporting-spindle, a metallic cylinder thereon having two series of contact-buttons in electrical connection with it, two series of metallic plates also attached to the spindle, and a series of contactfingers placed to engage either series of contact-buttons and either series of plates, substantially as described.

5. A combination of a supporting-spindle, a metallic cylinder thereon having two series ,of contact-buttons in electrical connection with it, two series of metallic plates also at-.

tached to the spindle, a series of contact-fingers placed to engage either series of the contact-buttons and either series of the plates, with a conductor connecting the cylinder and a plate of each series, substantially as described.

6. A combination of a supporting-spindle, a metallic cylinder thereon having two series of contact buttons. in electrical connection with it, two series of metallic plates also attached to the spindle, a series of contact-fingers placed'to engage either series of the contact-buttons and either series of the plates, with a conductor connecting the cylinder and a plate of each series, and other conductors respectively connecting together two plates in each series of plates, substantially as described.

7. In a controller the combination of a frame, aseries of grids having resistance material and supported by the frame, contactfingers fixed to the grids, a spindle, a metallic cylinder thereon having a seriesof contactbuttons fixed to and in electrical connection with it, two series of metallic strips also carried by the spindle, and electrical connections between certain of said strips, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a controller of a frame, a spindle, pieces of insulating material thereon, a metallic cylinder carried by said pieces, strips of metal carried on one of said pieces, contact-buttons on the cylinder,

and contact-fingers placed to engage said buttons and metallic strips, substantially as described.

Ioo

9. The combination in an electric controller of a i'rame, means thereon for supporting a series of contact-fingers, a spindle carried by the frame, a cylinder carried by the spindle having contact-pieces upon it placed to be engaged by the fingers, two series of contactplates,,also carried bythe spindle, means for turning the spindle so that the fingers thereon will engage with the contact-pieces on the cylinder and also with the contact-plates,with means for automatically returning said cylin- 5der to its elf position after the spindle has been revolved, substantially as described.

10. The combination in a controller of a frame, contact-lingers supported thereby, a spindle, a plurality of series of contact-pieces carried thereby, means for turning the spindle and a spring having portions of its ends in removable engagement with said frame, said spring being placed to have its torsion varied by revolution of the spindle and acting upon Said spindle to automatically return it to a position in which its contact-pieces are out of engagement with the contact-lingers, substantially as described.

11. In an electric controller the combination of a frame, a series of resistance-sections supported therein, said sections of resistance having contact-lingers connected to them, a series of spacing-grids also having contact-lingers, with a spindle having contact-pieces placed to be engaged by said two sets of lingers, substantially as described.

12. In an electric controller the combination of a frame, a belt or bolts supported thereby, a series of resistance-carrying grids on said bolt or bolts, spacing-grids also on the bolts, means for insulating said grids from each other and from the bolts, contact-fingers electrically connected to and projecting from the grids, a spindle supported by the frame, and having contact-pieces, metallic plates also supported by said spindle and means connecting certain of said plates to the contact-pieces on the cylinder, substantially as described.

13. In an electric controller the combination of a frame, a cylinder revolubly supported therein, a plurality of series of contacts on the cylinder, a series of contact-iingers supported by the frame with aspringplaeed to be twisted by revolution of the cylinder in either direction from a given position, the ends of said spring bearing removably upon portions of the frame, substantially as described.

let. in an electric eontroller,the combination of a frame, a spindle mounted therein, a cylinder on the spindle contacts on the cylinder, and contact-lingers carried on the frame, with a spring on the spindle, and means for connecting one end of said spring to said spindle; the other end of the spring being in engagement with a part of the frame, substantially as described.

15. In an electric controller, the combination of a frame, a spindle mounted thereon, a cyl' inder on the spindle, contacts on the cylinder and contact-lingers on the frame, with a spring on the spindle and projecting pieces lixed to said. spindle and placed to respeeth ely engage the ends of said spring, said frame also having portions placed to engage the ends of the spring, substantially as described.

16. .I n an electric controller,the combination of a frame, a spindle mounted thereon, a cylinder on the spindle, contacts on the cylinder and contact-lingers on the frame, with a spring on the spindle and collars lixed to said spindle having means for respectively engaging the ends of the spring there being a portion of the frame placed to also engage said ends of the spring, substal'itially as described.

17. In an electric controller, the combination of a frame, a revoluble cylinder with contacts thereon and supported by the frame, contactlingers placed to cooperate with said contacts and a spring having portions of both of its ends engaging the frame, said spring being placed, to be twisted by revolution ofthe eyl' inder in either direction from the normal posi tion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR (J. EASTWOOD.

\Vitnesses:

WVILLIAu E. BRADLEY, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

